Science Fair

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Science Fair
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Contacts

• Cynthia Falardeau
• Director, Education Foundation
• 564-0034
• Crickett Buker
• Regional Science Fair Director
• 696-3818

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Science fair projects at the middle school
level are much more advanced than elementary
projects.
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Main differences

• More stringent rules
• A proposal must be submitted to teacher for
  approval.
• Forms MUST be filled out, signed and dated prior
  to experimentation.
• 6th-8th grade compete with each other.
• A student can advance to state level competition.
• Much more work is involved.

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So what does/does not make for a good middle
school project?

• Product comparisons and surveys are not suitable
  for middle school.
• Models and demonstrations are not science fair
  projects.
• The ONLY fungi allowed for at home
  experimentation are brewers yeast and bakers
  yeast.
• A good project allows for measurable results,
  such as time, distance, capacity or temperature
  changes.

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Speaking of measurement

• Metric is the language of science meter, liter,
  gram, Celsius.
• Do NOT use cups, pints, ounces, pounds, inches,
  feet, Fahrenheit.
• Time is the same in metric seconds, minutes,
  hours.

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• Where do I begin?
• Research topics that interest you. Topic
  selection is the hardest part!
• Write a proposal of experiment
• What problem are you investigating?
• Write a DETAILED procedure.
• Identify your variables.
• Submit proposal to your teacher.

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Log Book

• EVERYTHING you do should be recorded in your log
  book.
• Use pen, not pencil.
• Date every entry (extremely important)
• Do NOT tear out pages or white out or scratch out
  changes. ONE line through changes.
• First entries should document topic research,
  date proposal was handed in and returned, form
  submission.

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Log book sample entry

• 9/6/07
• Today I went to the computer lab to
• research possible experiment topics. I found
  several that interested me. I made copies of the
  website pages.
• I discussed the prospects with my teacher and my
  Mom and decided to do.

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What next?

• AFTER your teacher has approved your proposal,
  (record the date submitted and approved in your
  log book) you MUST fill out all required forms.

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forms?

• ALL projects require a form 1, 1A, Research plan,
  1B, and 3.
• These MUST be completed in blue ink and submitted
  to your teacher. (record date in log book)
• Leave no line blank EXCEPT actual start and end
  date. (form 1A, 6.)

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Research plan

• This form does not look like a form because
  there are no blanks to fill in. Read it
  carefully. You must provide all of the
  information outlined on this form on another
  sheet of paper. It should be typed.
• It must include a bibliography, minimum 5
  sources.
• If a vertebrate project is done, there MUST be a
  6th source on care of that animal. (Ask your
  teacher for the correct bibliography format.)

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Refresh my memory, what is a vertebrate?

• Fish
• Amphibians
• Reptiles
• Birds
• Mammals

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Important form information

• You may NOT begin experimentation until all forms
  are signed and dated by the necessary adults.
• The adult sponsor is usually your teacher.
• Parent signature is required on forms 1B and 3.

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More forms

• Additional forms MAY be required depending on
  the nature of your project.
• Examples
• Working with a vertebrate animal?
• You will need ONE of the 5 forms.
• Humans involved in your project?
• Form 4.
• Working with a scientist at a research lab?
• 1C
• Being helped by a scientist?
• Form 2

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PRIOR APPROVAL

• All projects requiring additional forms require
  prior approval by a specific review board.
• Your teacher will get the forms to the board, and
  you MAY NOT start your project until the board
  approves the project. (Your teacher will let you
  know.)

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Where do I get these forms?

• Your teacher
• OR
• www.sciserv.org
• Look in document library.
• IF 2008 forms are not posted and you want to get
  started, use the 2007 forms.

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But I want to start NOW!!!!!(Thats why Im
here.)

• Write your proposal.
• Fill out your forms.
• I will be your adult sponsor
• Crickett Buker
• Have your parents bring the proposal and forms to
  the education foundation.

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• IF I approve your project, you will get a call to
  pick your paperwork up and you may begin your
  project.
• Once school starts and you know who your science
  teacher is, you tell them that your project has
  been started and that I approved it.
• Isnt that easy?? Youll have a head start .

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Experimentation

• After you gather your materials and are ready to
  start, document everything in your log book.
• Devise a chart to record data.
• A good experiment is repeated many times OR has a
  large test group.

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Examples

• If you are doing an experiment with plants,
  insects, brine shrimp, or human subjects you
  should have a LARGE number in each test group.
  (And always have a control group.)
• If you are running an experiment that involves
  timed trials, repeat the experiment as many times
  as possible and average your results.

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Variables

• These are factors in your experiment that you
  must identify.
• Independent-the one thing that you are changing
  in your experiment.
• Dependent
• What you are measuring
• Constants-everything you keep the same for
  fairness
• Control-a group to which the independent variable
  is NOT applied to.

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Report

• Some teachers require a detailed research report
  on the topic of your experiment to be done. In
  this way the teacher knows if you have done
  sufficient research to thoroughly know your topic
  and develop your hypothesis.

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Graphing results

• The Excel program or other computer graphing
  programs should be used to develop computer
  generated graphs.
• The judges will be looking for good math in your
  results. Can you find the mean, median and mode?
  Your teacher may teach you some more advanced
  statistics for analyzing your results.

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Abstract

• An abstract is a summarized version of your
  project. It must be typed on the official state
  abstract form. It includes the purpose,
  hypothesis, procedure, data analysis and
  conclusion.
• It is written in past tense and 200-250 words in
  length.
• Make 3 copies, one for your final report, one for
  your show board, and one for your records.
• www.fffs.ucf.edu

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Title

• Problem Materials Data
• (graphs)
• Hypothesis Procedure Data
• Analysis
• Abstract Variables Conclusion

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Final Report

• Title Page
• Abstract
• Table of contents
• Introduction
• problem, hypothesis, why you selected this
  project and what you hope to achieve
• Materials and procedures
• Data (tables and graphs)
• Data Analysis
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• Acknowledgements
• Bibliography